The Big Hitter's Scouting Report: Cleveland Browns Defense and STs

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Cleveland Browns Defense

Jim Schwartz defense plays defense like an act war. No prisoners taken, none expected. Except for five years as head coach of the Lions, Schwartz has been an NFL DC for 24 consecutive seasons. His style is that swagger and toughness. Scwartz expects his defenders to express aggression and cockiness, what he has referred as "badassery." His defenses feature a ferocious pass rush, blitzes from all angles, and rugged m-2-m coverages.

Schwartz' base defense is a 4-2-5 set. He utilizes four defensive linemen every down, with about a 40/60 mix of DTs to DEs. Two inside linebackers are on the field every down. The 4-2 front often includes a safety up close in the box, giving the front a 4-3 look. Rarely does his defense not field five defensive backs, with a mixture of corners and safeties that is about a 55/45 split. As stated, one, but often two, DBs play up close to the box. Not by accident, those players tend to blitz. Schwartz will blitz as much as any DC in the NFL, sending an extra man in excess of 30% of the pass plays, two extra men as high as 8-10%. Schwartz particularly favors A gap blitzes by inside linebackers and safety blitzes off the edge. Year-to-date, inside linebackers Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Jordan Hicks have each blitzed 14 times; strong safety Grant Delpit 8 times. Scwartz plays m-2-m in excess of 50% of the defensive snaps, one of the highest levels in the NFL. Cover 1 predominates, with some Cover 2. Schwartz rarely uses Cover 3, except perhaps in long yardage situations. Cover Zero does occur.

Statistically, the Browns are ranked 13th in yards (294.0 Y/G) and tied for 20th in points (23.0 PPG). In rush defense, they have yielded 114.5 yards/game (14th), but 5.0 yards/carry (7th worst). Passing-wise, they've given up 179.5 yards/game (14th), with the 7th least completions against (33). The Browns have 7 sacks (tied for 3rd most) for minus 40 yards (tied for 8th most). Thy are 7/23 in third down efficiency, a very good 30.4% (tied for 10th). Opponents run/pass ratio is 40%. Like the offense, penalties have hurt the defense. They currently have 17 defensive penalties, tied for 4th most, for 137 penalty yards, tied for sixth most.

Lets look at the personnel.

Defensive Tackles

The interior of the Browns defense is anchored by our old friend Dalvin Tomlinson. The Giants' #2 pick in 2017, Tomlinson spent four seasons with the Giants before signing a two-year free agent contract with the Vikings. In 2022, his contract up with the Vikings, Tomlinson signed a four-year/$57 million contract with the Browns. A tough yet agile man, Tomlinson, a three-time Georgia state wrestling champ, is primarily a zero/one tech nose tackle but is plenty athletic enough to move to the three-tech or even to defensive end. Tomlinson is equally effective in both run defense and pass rush. As part of a four-man DT rotation, Tomlinson has played 48 of the Browns 123 defensive snaps. To-date, he has five tackles (3 solo, 2 assists), 1 tackle for loss, 1.0 sacks, and 1 QB hit. His PFF grades are 72.2 (run), 61.9 (pass rush), 72.8 (overall), ranking #14 of 107 qualifying defensive tackles.

Shelby Harris starts at three-tech. A Raiders'2014 seventh-round pick, Harris has parlayed this low draft status into a fine NFL career. A spot player for Oakland, he moved to Denver in 2019 where he developed into a starter. His best seasons were 2019 and 2021, where each year he recorded 49 tackles and 6 sacks. Harris came to Cleveland in 2023, recording 28 tackles (17/11), 6 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 2 QB hits, 5 blocked passes, and 1 forced fumble, earning a solid 70.8 PFF grade. Year-to-date, Harris, in 62 defensive snaps, has two tackles (2/0/2), 1 TFL, and 2 QB hits, scoring PFF grades of 60.0/56.9/59.9, ranking #46 of 107.

Quinton Jefferson is the primary rotation at DT. Year-to-date, Jefferson has played 59 snaps, recording 4 tackles (1/3), 1 TFL, 1.0 sacks, and 1 QB hit. He earns PFF scores of 54.8/53.1/52.5, ranking #71 of 107. Maurice Hurst took 25 snaps against Dallas before suffering an IR causing ankle injury. Hurst recorded 3 tackles with 1 TFL yet earned a terrible PFF overall of 28.1. The only other DT presently on the roster is rookie second pick Mike Hall (Ohio State). Hall has yet to take a regular season snap.

Defensive Ends

Myles Garrett was the #1 overall pick in 2017. He has not disappointed. To date, Garrett has 90.5 career sacks, six consecutive years of 10+ sacks, is a three-time All Pro and has been selected to five Pro Bowls. Garrett's 2024 play has been as good as ever. With 89 defensive snaps, he has 5 tackles (5/0/5), 2 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 2 QB hits, and 2 forced fumbles. His PFF scores of 50.0/93.4/88.5 rank him #6 of 106 qualifying DE/edge players. It was reported Friday that Garrett is suffering from some type of foot injury. His status for Sunday is in doubt.

Zadarius Smith starts opposite Garrett. A 2015 fourth-round pick of Baltimore, Smith has been one of the more productive edge rushers on the past decade. After four solid seasons with the Ravens, Smith played 2019-2021 in Green Bay. In 2019 and 2020, he made the Pro Bowl, respectively recording 13.5 and 12.5 sacks. After an injury wiped out his 2021 season, he played 2022 in Minnesota, where he recorded 10.0 sacks and made his third Pro Bowl. In 2023, he came to the Browns, recording 5.5 sacks. Year-to-date, he has taken 81 defensive snaps, recording 3 tackles (2/1/3), 1 TFL, 1.0 sacks, and 1 QB hit. He earns PFF scores of 64.2/56.8/60.9, ranking #57 of 106.

The Browns have four backup DEs who can (and do) rotate along the defensive front. Alex Wright, a 2022 third-round pick from UAB, is the primary back up. In 52 defensive snaps, Wright has 5 tackles (4/1/5), 1 TFL, 1.0 sacks, and 1 QB hit. Wright's PFF scores are 49.7/69.2/62.8. Veteran Ogbo Okoronkwo, now 29-years-old, has played 38 snaps but has yet to make the stat sheet. His PFF grades are 45.8/63.2/54.4. Sam Kamara, a 2021 UDFA from Stoney Brook, has two solo tackles in 17 defensive snaps. In admittedly limited play, he scores solid PFF grades of 72.7/61.2/74.2. Second-year player Isaiah McGuire, a fourth-round pick from Missouri, has 19 defensive snaps. McGuire, with zero defensive stats, still managed to earn an overall PFF grade of 78.4. Go figure.

Linebacker

The Browns play two inside linebackers every defensive snap. The starters are Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (hereafter referred to as JOK) and Jordan Hicks. Both are small, fast, big hitters, able to roam behind the line and tackle in space. They are effective in coverage and in pass rush; to date, each have pass rushed 14 times. JOK, a 2021 second-round pick from Notre Dame, has taken 122 of 123 snaps. For the year, he has 16 tackles (12/4), 2 TFL, and one pass defended. His PFF scores are 63.3 (run), 60.8 (coverage), 80.0 (pass rush), 67.6 (overall), ranking 28 of 75 qualifying linebackers. Former Eagle Hicks, now in this tenth year, comes to the Browns after two years in Minnesota. Hicks, in 98 snaps, has 10 tackles (6/4), 1 TFL, 1.0 sacks, and 2 passes defended. His PFF grades are 60.4/46.0/67.9/53.1, ranking #53 of 75.

The odd man out in the linebacker room is former #1 pick (#10 overall) Devin Bush (Michigan). Although healthy, Bush has taken just 9 defensive snaps, recording 2 tackles, and receiving a 54.7 PFF grade. Tony Fields, a 2021 fifth-round pick, has 14 defensive snaps, 2 tackles, and 74.4 PFF score. Mahamoud Diabate played six snaps against Dallas and made 2 tackles. He is now on the IR with a hip injury. Khaleke Hudson, Nathan Watson, and Winston Reid are all listed as linebackers. All three have played extensively on specialty teams but none has taken a defensive snap.

Cornerback

Denzel Ward, the #4 overall pick in 2018 (Ohio State), is one of the NFL's best cover corners. Ward, a three-time Pro Bowler, has been limited this season with a shoulder injury. To date, he has taken but 63 snaps (51%), recording one solo tackle and 4 passes defended. Ward is a blanket in coverage. He earns PFF grades of 82.4 (cover), 52.9 (run defensed), and 77.0 overall, ranking #8 of 93 qualifying corners. Ward was listed as "limited" in yesterday's practice, although I suspect he will be a go against the Giants. Starting opposite Ward is third year player Martin Emerson Jr. A 2022 third-round pick from Mississippi State, Emerson has taken 115 of 123 defensive snaps. Emerson presently has 11 tackles (6/5/11) and two passes defended. Emerson's overall play has slipped just a bit since his rookie season, a year in which he recorded a PFF overall grade of 72.5. This season, his grades are 52.3/49.4/51.6, ranking #79 of 93.

The slot corner, Greg Newsome, has played 101 snaps. Newsome, the Browns 2021 first-round pick, has developed into a fine player. On the season, he has 4 solo tackles and 1 pass defended. He earns PFF grades of 76.4 (coverage), 49.6 (run defense), 59.7 (pass rush), and 72.4, ranking him #17 of 93. Elsewhere, Cameron Mitchell has backed up Denzel Ward on the edge, taking 51 snaps. The second-year player from Northwestern has played reasonably well in the backup roll, recording 3 tackles, 1 TFL, and PFF scores of 64.4/71.2/59.2/67.0, ranking #36 of 93. Mike Ford is the only other corner to take a defensive snap. In three snaps, he has one tackle, with an overall grade of 61.8.

Safety

Grant Delpit has taken 120 of 123 defensive snaps. Listed as the starting strong safety, the big (6'3"/208), strong Delpit will, at times, play deep, either in a Cover 2 or as a high hat in Cover 1. That said, he is more commonly aligned up tight to the box, giving the Browns' 4-2-5 defense more of a 4-3 look. Delpit is a hard-hitting sure tackler with good cover skills. Year-to-date, he has 10 tackles (9/1/10), 1 TFL, and 1 pass defended. His PFF scores are 64.7 (coverage)/69.9 (run support)/50.6 (pass rush)/66.8 (overall), ranking him #31 among 76 qualifying safeties.

Ronnie Hickman and Rodney McLeod split time at free safety. Hickman, a 2023 UDFA from Ohio State, has been a pleasant surprise. As a rookie, he was solid enough to start 4 games and take 47% of the defensive snaps. This season, he has taken 53 snaps (43%), recording 3 solo tackles and 1 pass defended. His PFF scores of 69.9/65.4/74.3 rank him #14 of 76. McLeod, our old friend from his time with the Eagles, has taken 46 defensive snaps (37%). The venerable McLeod, a 2012 UDFA signing of the Eagles (Virgina) has to date 3 tackles (2/1/3) of the defensive stat sheet. His PFF grades are 71.9/60.4/59.2/72.1, ranking #17 of 76. Juan Thornhill, the opening game starter at FS, suffered a calf injury against the Cowboys and is now on IR. Thornhill had a terrific game against Dallas: with 60 defensive snaps, he had 9 tackles (8/1/9) and one tackle for loss, earning an outstanding 82.2 PFF grade.

Special Teams

Dustin Hopkins is the Browns place kicker. Hopkins, known to we Giants' fans from his time in Washington, is now 33 years old. Hopkins spent 7+ years with Washington, then 1+ years with the Chargers, before coming to the Browns in 2023. Career-wise, Hopkins is 227/264 on field goals (86%); 25/40 (62.5%) on field goals of 50+, and 242/263 (94.3%) on extra points. Season to date, he is 4/4 on field goals (2/2 on 50+) and 3/3 on extra points.

The punter is 28-year-old Corey Bojorquez. Year-to-date, Bojorquez has punted 12 times, with a gross of 47.9 (19th), a net of 39.3 (5th worst), 4 punts inside the 20, 1 touchback, and 2 fair catches. Significantly, the Browns have had trouble covering punts. In 6 opponent punt returns, the Browns have yielded 104 yards, an average of 17.3 yards/return, dead worst in the NFL.

The Browns have an excellent return man in Jaelon Darden. Draden has returned 4 kickoffs for 97 yards, a 24.3 average. On punts, he has 5 returns for 73 yards, a 14.4 average, with a long of 28. Otherwise, James Proche has returned 3 punts for 25 yards (8.4 Y/R) and Pierre Strong has one kickoff return for 25 yards.